Improvement in elastic chain-links



PATENT OEEicE.

EPHRAIM MYERS, OF CREAGERSTOWN, MARYLAND.

IMPROVEMENT IN ELASTIG CHAIN-LINKS.

Specication forming part of Letters Patent No. 116,986, dated July 11, 1871 antedated July 4, 1871.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EPHRAIM MYERS, of Greagerstown, in the county of Frederick and State of Maryland, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Elastic Chain-Links; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in chains, especially such as are employed for drawing with horses, oxen, or other animals, whereby it is designed to arrange them so that they will yield when the animals start suddenly, as they frequently do to their great injury when hitched to rigid chains. It consists in providing in the said chains one or more elastic links, constructed as hereinafter described.

Figure l represents a side elevation of my improved link partly broken away, and Fig. 2 represents a transverse section.

Similar letters of referenceindicate corresponding parts.

` I construct a link with a round or nearly round y body, A, in two parts, c a and b b, each part connected at one end by a yoke, B, and at the other by a disk, C. The two parts of the body represent in cross-section a circle composed of four sections or segments, and they are, by this form, so combined together that they will slide longitudinally on each other, but will not separate. NVithin the circular space inclosed by the said sides and ends of the two parts I provide a cylindrical spring of India rubber, D, which will be compressed when strain is applied to each end of the link, and thereby give a yielding resistance to the strain. Shoulders el or other stops are provided to govern the expansion of the spring when required.

The said links, thus constructed, are adapted for other uses than those above specified, and may be applied to any chains when required. To adapt the link to be made as short as possible the disks C may be rounded on one side for strengthening them, and arranged to iit into the yoke to some extent when the spring is expanded. The employment of these links will be a great relieil to the horses when they start suddenly or encounter a rock in plowing, or any `other obstruction suddenly stopping them.

I-laVing thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- Yielding` chain-links, constructed substantially as herein specified.

Witnesses:

J. M. HARDING, WILLIAM BEAM.

E. MYERS. 

